Livingston's New Manager Struggles as Falkirk Claim 2-1 Win
In a dismal start to life as Livingston manager, Marvin Bartley saw his side slump to a 2-1 defeat against local rivals Falkirk at their home stadium. The loss marked the first time under new management and it's clear that Bartley has a long way to go in getting Livi back on track.
The Bairns' strong start set the tone for the match, with Kyrell Wilson scoring from a Kyell's 11th-minute assist after Daniel Finlayson was caught in possession just outside his penalty area. Louie Marsh added to the lead before halftime with an uncharacteristic display of finishing, exploiting space at the back post.
Livingston's poor start seemed like it could be made worse when Barney Stewart's thunderous header from Calvin Miller's cross was ruled offside. However, Falkirk continued to control the match, forcing Scott Bain into a series of saves and creating the better chances in the second half. Brad Spencer came close with a bizarre goal from a corner kick that had Prior scrambling to prevent it.
Livingston needed a dramatic turnaround after halftime but were unable to get past Bain's posts as Falkirk held firm. Ethan Ross tested the Livi goalkeeper with a curler, while Miller hit the crossbar with a clear-cut chance. The closest thing Livi could muster was Connor McLennan poking home a goal from close range in the 47th minute after a goalmouth scramble.
The late stages saw both teams throw men forward in desperation, but neither could find the net. Falkirk held on for three points, while Livingston's struggles under Bartley's management are now six points adrift of the top-six spots.
In the end, Falkirk's win was a stark reminder that Livi have some serious work to do if they're going to make a push in this season's Scottish Premiership.
In a dismal start to life as Livingston manager, Marvin Bartley saw his side slump to a 2-1 defeat against local rivals Falkirk at their home stadium. The loss marked the first time under new management and it's clear that Bartley has a long way to go in getting Livi back on track.
The Bairns' strong start set the tone for the match, with Kyrell Wilson scoring from a Kyell's 11th-minute assist after Daniel Finlayson was caught in possession just outside his penalty area. Louie Marsh added to the lead before halftime with an uncharacteristic display of finishing, exploiting space at the back post.
Livingston's poor start seemed like it could be made worse when Barney Stewart's thunderous header from Calvin Miller's cross was ruled offside. However, Falkirk continued to control the match, forcing Scott Bain into a series of saves and creating the better chances in the second half. Brad Spencer came close with a bizarre goal from a corner kick that had Prior scrambling to prevent it.
Livingston needed a dramatic turnaround after halftime but were unable to get past Bain's posts as Falkirk held firm. Ethan Ross tested the Livi goalkeeper with a curler, while Miller hit the crossbar with a clear-cut chance. The closest thing Livi could muster was Connor McLennan poking home a goal from close range in the 47th minute after a goalmouth scramble.
The late stages saw both teams throw men forward in desperation, but neither could find the net. Falkirk held on for three points, while Livingston's struggles under Bartley's management are now six points adrift of the top-six spots.
In the end, Falkirk's win was a stark reminder that Livi have some serious work to do if they're going to make a push in this season's Scottish Premiership.
The thing is, when you look at Livingston's current state and it's clear that Bartley has a mountain to climb 
. They need to find their rhythm and get their attack firing on all cylinders ASAP 
. It's like they're stuck in neutral right now 
, and Falkirk are the ones who know how to drive forward 
. I'm not sure what Bartley is going to do to turn this team around, but it's definitely not going to be easy 
.
marvin bartley's got a tough one on his hands now 
can't believe the lads were like 2-1 down at halftime 
it was def falkirk's day but this is gonna be a long season for livinston 
hope bartley can turn things around soon 
their new manager Marvin Bartley is really struggling to get his head around things 2-1 loss against Falkirk isn't ideal but the bigger picture is Livi are still six points behind the top 6 and that's a huge gap to close 
Bartley needs to figure out how to get his team playing cohesively, we can see glimpses of what they're capable of but consistency is key 
fal Kirk deserved the win, but bartley's subs need to be more effective 
. They looked so disjointed and unorganized, it was like they didnt know how to play together. Poor Barney Stewart had that header ruled offside which was super frustrating for him 
. Livingston's season is really looking bleak now 
. Anyway, Livingston need to buck up and sort out their issues pronto 
!